Household doughnut-forming machine



H D. VALLE Oct. 10, 1939.

HOUSEHOLD DOUGHNUT-FORMING MACHINE Filed June 2'7, 1939 Patented Oct.10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOUSEHOLD DOUGHNUT-FORMIN G MACHINE7 Claims.

This invention relates to a doughnut forming machine and it consists inthe constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described andclaimed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine of simpleconstruction and operation, lending itself suitably for domestic usewhere a small number of doughnuts will be made at a time; the machinebeing so constructed that it will accurately form the doughnut anddeliver the formed doughnut into a cooking vessel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine which may beheld and manually operated by one hand and to this end, a noveloperating handle and dough pressure means is presented.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine of the typedescribed, in which the various parts are assembled without the use ofbolts, rivets or the like, thus presenting a machine which may bereadily cleaned and liable in a minimum degree to derangement.

Additional objects, advantages'and features of invention will beapparent from the following description considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of thedoughnut machine.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a similar view with the cover removed.

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Figure 1. There isillustrated a container [B which may be formed from any suitable gaugesheet metal and of any size desired. The container I0 is open at the topand the bottom is formed with a tapering funnel like wall II, the lattermerging into a cylindrical nozzle [2 in the medial longitudinal axis ofthe container. The lower edge of the nozzle i2 is preferably formed withan inclinededge l3 complemental to a cut-off means presently to be,described. At a suitable point adjacent the upper end of the containerIll, there is formed a bead l4 circumscribing the container, functioningas a guide means when filling the container with batter.

Upon one side of the container there is secured a handle [4, which is inthe form of an elongated loop readily fitting the hand of an operator,respective ends i5 of the loop seating flush against the container andfixed thereto by welding. The upper end I5 is slightly offset as at l6providing ample clearance for a cover I! when applied to the open upperend of the container.

At a point diametrically opposite the handle M, an upstanding lug I 8 isprovided, welded to the container. The lug l8 is also offset 'as at IQfor accommodationof the cover I1, and the upper endof the lug isapertured for reception of a hook member 20 of an operating lever 2|, aswill be presently described.

Positioned within the nozzle I2 inwardly of the outer end there is aspider 22 having an annular boss 23 providing a slide fit for a rod 24,as will be described hereinafter. The spider 22 in the present instancecomprises three rods 25, one end of the rods being fixed by peening orotherwise, in the wall of the nozzle I2, the other end of the rods beingsimilarly secured in the boss 23. Preferably, the rods 25 are radiallydisposed at an angle of approximately degrees. thereby providing ampleclearance for extrusion of batter.

The rod 24 has rigidly formed therewith a cone 26, the sides thereofbeing so shaped as to snugly contact the inclined edge l3 of the nozzle,when the rod 24 and cone 2B arein their uppermost or inoperativepositions.

The rod 24 is provided upon opposed sides with a plurality of equallyspaced notches 21, the notches being positioned along the rod from apoint adjacent its lower end to a point below the cover 11.

Within the container l0 there is a follower 28, in the present instancebeing constructed as an annular disk having a medial horizontal portion29 from which an upwardly inclined wall 30 is extended, the wall 30terminating in an upstanding flange 3| of a size slidably fitting thewalls of the container. At suitable opposed points upon the upper sideof the wall 30, there are provided a pair of loops 32, welded to thewall, the loops forming suitable gripping means for reception of fingersof an operator for withdrawing the follower.

The horizontal portion 29 is apertured cen trally thereof to receive therod 24 therethrough, and this portion affords support for a washer 33.

A tapering helical spring 34 is secured to the lower helix of the washer33, and a washer 35 is fixed to the upper helix of the spring. TheWasher 35 in turn has fixed thereon a spring clip 36, the latter havinga central aperture aligned with the aperture of the washer 35. Thisassembly receives the rod 24 therethrough, for a purpose as willpresently appear.

The spring clip 36 has a pair of arms 31 diie cover H is centrallyapertured and receives the rod 24 therethrough, the upper end of the rodterminating above the cover and has a slot Eli through which the lever2| passes. The lever 2i passes edgewise through the rod, one end thereofhaving the hook member 2| which is engaged in the aperture of the lugl8. The other end of the lever 2| is given a twist, as at 39, to providea finger-engaging portion 40. The lever 2| is of a length stopping shortapproximately in the medial longitudinal axis of the handle H in aposition for convenient manipulation of the lever.

In order that the lever 2| may be maintained in its upper or normalposition, a helical spring 4| is mounted on the rod 24 interposedbetween the lever 2| and the cover I1. If desired, bearing washers 42may be provided at the ends of the spring.

The operation The operation will be readily understood from thefollowing description.

The container Ill having been filled with batter, up to the indicatormark l4, and the follower -28, cover |2 and lever 2| in operativeposition on the container, and it is desired to form a doughnut.

The finger portion 40 of the lever will be in a position to receive thethumb of the hand of the operator which is supporting the machine, andwith a downward pressure upon tLle lever, the springs 34 and 4| will becompressed by virtue of downward movement of the rod 24. arms 3'! willalso be compressed slightly, effecting a firm grip in the notches 21with which they are engaged. Obviously the follower 28 will be caused tomove downwardly upon the batter, forcing it toward the nozzle l2.Simultaneously with the above described movement of the parts, the cone26 will move downwardly from the edge id of the nozzle |2, allowing thebatter to be extruded outwardly therearound. Pressure is now releasedfrom the lever 2|, and the springs 34 and 4| draw the rod 24 upwardly,causing the cone 26 to move back to its closed position against theinclined edge l3. Such movement of the cone severs the batter from thenozzle l2, allowing the formed doughnut to be deposited into a cookingvessel. This operation is repeated for the formation of additionaldoughnuts.

During the return movement of the rod 24, the follower 28 remainsstationary by reason of the pressure of spring 34 and clip 36, but asthe rod is moving upwardly, tension of the arms 31 is reduced,permitting the arms to release the notches and engage the next pair ofnotches immediately therebelow, when the parts are in position forforming additional doughnuts.

When it is desired to refill the container, the handle 2! and cover I?are removed, the arms 3! released from the notches of the rod 24, and byinserting a finger in each grip 32 the follower 28 may be readilywithdrawn.

/Vhile I have shown and described a preferred construction, this is byway of illustration only, and I consider as my own all suchmodifications in structure as fairly fall within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a doughnut forming machine, a container having a nozzle, a cut-offmeans in the outer end of the nozzle, a rod on the cut-off meansextended upwardly through the container, a cover The spring d inwardlytoward the rod 24 of a length to for the container apertured to receivetherod e in respective opposed pairs of notches ZLtherethrough, afollower within the container slidably receiving the rod, an operatinglever for moving the rod downwardly to open the cut-off means, meansbetween the follower and rod for gripping the rod during the downwardmovement of the rod, and means for returning the rod and cut-01f meansto initial position.

2. In a doughnut forming machine, a container, a handle thereror, saidcontainer having a tapering bottom wall and a discharge nozzle mediallythereof, a cover for the container, a follower within the container, acut-off means in the nozzle at the lower end thereof, a rod carried bythe cut-off means and pro ecting upwardly through the follower andcover, a lever operatlvely connected to the upper portion of the rod andhaving a fulcrum at a point opposite the handle to efiect downwardmovement of the rod, follower and cut-off means, spring means forreturning the cut-off means and rod to initial position, means betweenthe rod and follower i'or gripping the rod during the downward movementthereof, and said operating lever having a nnger contacting portionstopping approximateiy on the medial longitudinal axis of the handle.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the operating lever and cover areremovable, and said follower being provided with n'nger grip means uponthe upper surface thereof.

4. In a doughnut forming machine, a contamer, a handle therefor, saidcontainer having a tapering bottom wall and a discharge nozzle mediallythereof, a cover for the container, 2. ioilower within the container, acut-off means in the nozzle at the lower end thereof, a rod carried bythe cut-off means and projecting upwardly through the follower andcover, a lever operatively connected to the upper portion of the rod andhaving a fulcrum at a point opposite the handle to effect downwardmovement of the rod, follower and cut-off means, spring means forreturning the cut-off means, and rod to initial position, said rodhaving a plurality of oppositely disposed notches spaced longitudinallyof the rod, a spring clip on the rod having inwardly directed armscomplemental to respective paired notches effecting a gripping actionupon the rod, a helical spring on the rod interposed between thefollower and spring clip, and said operating lever having a fingercontacting portion stopping approximately on the medial longitudinalaxis of the handle.

5. In a doughnut forming machine, a container, a handle on one sidethereof, an upstanding apertured lug on the container opposite thehandle, said container having a tapering bottom wall and a dischargenozzle medially thereof, a removable cover for the container, a followerwithin the container, having a pair of finger grip loops upon the uppersurface thereof, a guide sleeve in the nozzle, said sleeve havingradially spaced arms engaged in the walls defining the nozzle, a rodslidably engaged in the sleeve, 2. cone-shaped member on the lower endof the rod, said nozzle having an inner circumferential edgecomplemental to the cone, said rod being slidably engaged through thefollower and cover and having a transverse slot. the rod further havinga plurality of opposed pairs of longitudinally spaced notches, a springclip slidably mounted on the rod, said clip having a pair of inwardlydirected arms, successively engageable with paired notches, a taperinghelical spring on the rod interposed between the spring clip and thefollower, an operating lever extended through the transverse slot 01'the rod, one end of the lever having a hook member for engaging theapertures oi the upstanding lug. a helical spring on the rod interposedbetween the cover and the operating lever, and said operating leverhaving a linger contacting portion stopping ap'proxh mately on themedial longitudinal axis of the handle.

6. The structure 01 claim 5 in which the tapered helical spring isflxedto the spring clip and follower.

7. The structure of claim 5 in which the container has a circumscribingindicator mark. c

HUMBERT DELLA VALLE.

